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Firearms officer convicted

The jury in the trial of two policemen who denied breaching health and safety laws after PC Ian Terry was shot and killed in a training exercise has found PC Francis guilty of breaking health and safety rules. Sgt Eric was found not guilty.

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On behalf of Greater Manchester Police, and also personally, I want to apologise for the failings which led to the death of PC Ian Terry and express great sorrow for the pain and loss suffered by his family. We accept that there were failings in the way in which the training exercise was carried out and today we accept the sentence that has been passed.

Ian was an exceptional man – a brilliant father, husband, son and brother who we will always be proud of. He was the heart of the family and always had a smile on his face. His enthusiasm for life was infectious. He was also a dedicated police officer who loved his job, and his career was progressing well within the firearms division of GMP.

The last five years have been horrendous for us. We are a patient and reasonable family and all we have wanted from day one is for those involved in this tragedy to accept their portions of responsibility for what happened to Ian on 9th June 2008.

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Ian Terry’s death was an avoidable tragedy that should never have happened.

I sought, and have been given, the assurance that it would now be impossible for something similar to happen again. Greater Manchester Police have radically changed their procedures for firearms training.

Indeed the changes that have been introduced as a result of Ian’s death now mean that GMP’s firearms training is considered amongst the best in the country.

This entire process has taken far too long. It is unacceptable that Ian’s family have had to wait five years to get to this point – it is contemptuous of them.